Unsettled

For most of the weekend the sky wasn't much to see.  Susan captured a beautiful picture of the few minutes of Saturday's sun, but Sunday was just cold and dreary.  Despite the shroud covering the mountains. we headed up to Snowbird just to see how spring was getting along. As you can see winter is alive and well in the higher elevations and spring is yet weeks away.  Snowbird is the only place open for skiing and it had quite a crowd.

We had hoped to sit on the deck and soak up some sun, but as you can see, this was not the weekend for that.  It was enjoyable to be in the mountains, breath the clean, cold air and revisit the snowy days of winter.  It seems the word 'drought' has made a recurrence in the local vernacular after only a short absence.

As we made it home from our weekly trek to Costco (we *heart* Costco), smoke appeared in the sky just ahead of us.  Smith and I both held our breath as we drove towards the smoke, Moxie foremost on our mind. Thankfully, it wasn't long before we realized the fire was just east of our place, so we did a little rubbernecking and drove by.  It was a home we thought was under construction, but a family had moved in only a week ago. We came home very grateful to still have the mess we live in. (I did do some spring cleaning this weekend too, but that is a rather boring subject.)

There is such sadness, so many horrors, and news that is hard to deal with or even absorb, around our world today.  My goal is to start every day with a moment of acknowledgment for the gifts that are mine.  Be grateful and giving, do what I can to be kind to all people, including our home, this planet Earth.  We have nothing to lose by coming from a place of love and, thereby, putting aside fear. 

Comments

[janine]

A very good way to live your life, there is so many sad and bad things going on it is good to take a moment to count your blessings :-)
My hypnotherapist gave me a poem to use as an aide memoire, it is pinned up by my desk, It says:-
Life is but a canvas
You can paint on it what you wish
Be it misery or bliss
But please "just for today"
regret not the price that you pay

[Laurie]

So scary! And Janine speaks some real wisdom, also.

[Carole]

That must have been so scary for those moments. Gratitude is a really important thing for living a satisfied life. Being happy with what you have is crucial and I know you have much.

[Carol]

Nicely said and very true.

[Kim]

Such a wonderful way to start a day.

A local family here with numerous children tragically lost their home this past weekend as well. It not only breaks your heart for them, but it also makes you thankful for what you have.

[Chris]

Thanks for the reminder - it's all too easy to focus on the negative and forget to accentuate the positive...

[Norma]

That is the best way to live. I wish more people got that.

[Anne]

How sad for them! The folks that live across the road from my parents lost their house they were moving out of in a fire - which meant they had to wait for an insurance check to be able to pay for their NEW house, and in the meantime, the Mr. of the couple fell and broke his hip, so off he went to rehab and she had to camp out at rehab with him, since she had no place to stay for like 6 months. I hope your local family have someplace to land - that's gotta be hard!

[Margaret]

Thank you!
My husband wakes up every morning and tells me "it's a beautiful day".

[Laura]

Good Morning Margeney. :)

Glad it wasn't your house on fire. ALWAYS glad to come home and know it's not my house on fire. I can feel very badly for anyone, help them out, etc. But I'm always happy it's not me. Maybe that sounds selfish but oh well. I'm thankful for what we have. Thankful for all our beautiful and healthy children and our friends. The health and safety for those we love and those who love us.

Whew. So much to be thankful for lately and so many to be thinking of who are less fortunate.

How'd the spinning go over the weekend?? I've got one bland little spinning project that I'm about 5/6 the way finished with and look forward to getting it off the spindles because I'm dyeing this yarn AFTER it's spun. I hope I don't end up hating it. heh

Have a wonderful week!! :)

[Deb]

Thank you. I needed the reminder to start the day on a thankful, and not fearful, state of mind.

[marie in florida]

grateful and giving
the smoke from fires in georgia blow our way; it has been jacksonville burning before; our Humane Society burnt down just a few weeks ago.
you know the koan ?? which hand can hold and give more? closed palm downward or open palm up? you can't recieve if you aren't willing to give.
in the interweave Crochet is a profile of an artist who filet crochet strips of words: grateful and giving....good words to crochet and hang from the rafters, like Yoko hanging the word yes on the ceiling...LOL>.>>

[marie in florida]

p.s.
beautiful but painful snap*shot of the couple watching the fire
see how they mirror each other?

[Vicki]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Heather Joins The Round]

Margene, you are so right!

I'm going to take a minute right now to do that.

[Roxie]

Can they use a couple of hats? A baby blanket? When I see people in need, the first thing I ask is, "What can I knit for them?"

I'm touched that the sight of the smoke didn't make you think, "That might be our house. Our things!" Instead your first thought was, "Is Moxie all right?" SO glad he was!!

[regina]

Beautifully stated. Writer Cynthia Ozick once observed that "We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." We should all count our blessings every day.

[Cara]

ditto Vicki

[Birdsong]

Another method is to use a gratitude journal and list five things you are thankful for each day before going to sleep. When I am consistent with this practice, I can see recurring themes, but it is a positive way to close the day, even once. Hope you have a positive week in spite of the chaos swirling around our world. I just finished reading "Three Cups of Tea" - do you want me to send it to you when Glenn is done?

[amanda]

Nicely said Margene! We should all count our blessings every single day.

[Jan]

Sometimes the world is a scary place isn't it? We live close enough to Virginia Tech to have that be a big part of people's lives here. I try to call everyone I love every couple of days now just to tell them I love them, and we all try to enjoy all that is good in our world. Guess that is all we can do. Woops, I forgot, and of course we try to reduce our carbon footprint. My daughter would be disappointed if I left that out ;)

[Teyani]

I'm counting my blessings right along side you - thanks for the good reminder to keep our eyes focused on what truly matters.

[Tan]

Glad you're OK

[Meadow]

It really is a good reminder, to remember my blessings. I'm glad your weekend was fun.

[Wool Winder]

I'm glad it wasn't your place on fire. We woke up today to learn that the high school was on fire. It was the oldest part, built in 1948. It's very sad for our small community. So many memories in those halls.

[Mia]

Fires can happen in a blink of an eye. By the time you smell the smoke, the fire has already been burning for awhile. Modern home construction also means that home burn faster and hotter than they did years ago. The important thing is that everyone got out safely. And ice fire pictures btw.

[CindyCindy]

I agree with you. It's a wonderful way to live. I have often found myself angry and upset about something and then, just look and see someone or something that makes my problem look every bit as small as it really is. I am sorry about the family that had the fire, though.

[Kit]

I celebrated those things I was most grateful for by watching Planet Earth. Have you seen it? It's produced by the BBC and it really just makes me so happy to be living in such an enchanting world.

It's funny, the media will only ever talk about the horrors but if you look around you, you see that there is so much in this world that is beautiful, honest, and encouraging. For example, the generous nature of knitters and friends.

[Jennifer]

Oh, that's so scary and so sad for that family.

[Pat K]

All around us, every day, are people in need. We just have to turn off the TV, or get our noses out of our own worries for a minute, to see them. Thank you for a thoughtful post to start out the week.

[knitnana]

Heart in mouth! OH MY! So glad for you, so sad for your neighbors!

And yes, that's an excellent philosophy and daily practice! I think I'll join you.
(((hugs)))

[Lucia]

That poor family. I would like to knit something for them too.

[Susan]

It's so easy to see the negative when there is really so much more good around us. Thank you for the reminder.

I'm so sorry for that family.

[Cheryl]

Thanks for that reminder, it've very timely for me.

[Kelly]

Over the last week or so I've become very aware of how blessed I'm to have a roof over my head and a loving husband and children who are all healthy and safe.

I think if everyone thought the way you did the world would be a much better place!

[Brandy]

Oh my goodness. Thanks so much for sharing that, and reminding all of us to appreciate what we have!!

[sandy]

Oh, that poor family losing everything a week after moving in. The pictures are chilling.
I'm taking your words to heart. I must MUST start my day off with positive. Every day. I will.
Practically Zen Like.
xoxoxo
love ya

[scout]

That just breaks my heart about that family.

I'm so glad your family and house are safe and sound.

[Kathy]

That's the right post title -- it does feel rather unsettled these days.

[Romi]

So beautifully said and so very true. I'm glad you and yours are safe. How horrible for that family.

[Hillary]

No matter what, there is always something to be thankful for. So sad for that family. Unfortulately I know exactly how that family felt but we moved on and so will they.

[Sharon]

I grew up in southeast San Diego County where wildfires are an annual occurence. We had a list of things that would go into the car in the event of evacuation, and high on the list was family photos. My brother lost a lot of our family photos. He lives on a tidal river of the Columbia, and in 1997 the flood waters rose to their house. Even though the house didn't technically flood, the drywall wicked up the water, which went into the bookcase and destroyed the contents, our photos included. One never knows, does one.

[Lynne]

In the midst of trial and even tragedy, we do really have so much to be thankful for.

[Tonia]

How scary. I am sure that it was a huge relief to find that it wasn't your home. So sad that it happened though.